Selective inhibition in atomic layer deposition of silicon-containing films

Abstract

Methods of selectively inhibiting deposition of silicon-containing films deposited by atomic layer deposition are provided. Selective inhibition involves exposure of an adsorbed layer of a silicon-containing precursor to a hydrogen-containing inhibitor, and in some instances, prior to exposure of the adsorbed layer to a second reactant. Exposure to a hydrogen-containing inhibitor may be performed with a plasma, and methods are suitable for selective inhibition in thermal or plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition of silicon-containing films.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one process chamber comprising a pedestal for holding a substrate; 
 at least one outlet coupled to a vacuum; 
 one or more process gas inlets coupled to one or more silicon-containing precursor sources; 
 one or more process gas inlets coupled to one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitor sources; 
 one or more process gas inlets coupled to one or more second reactant sources; and 
 a controller for controlling operations, comprising machine-readable instructions for performing one or more cycles of:
 causing introduction of one or more silicon-containing precursors comprising at least one Si—H bond from the one or more silicon-containing precursor sources to the process chamber, 
 causing flow of the one or more silicon-containing precursors to the process chamber to stop; 
 causing introduction of one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitors from the one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitor sources to the process chamber; 
 causing flow of the one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitors to the process chamber to stop; and 
 after causing the flow of the one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitors to stop, causing introduction of one or more second reactants from the one or more second reactant sources to the process chamber such that the flow of the one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitors and the flow of the one or more silicon-containing precursor sources to the process chamber are stopped during the introduction of the one or more second reactants to the process chamber. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises machine-readable instructions for causing introduction of the one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitors for a duration between about 0.05 second and about 60 seconds. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitors are selected from the group consisting of ammonia, hydrogen, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plasma generator, wherein the controller further comprises machine-readable instructions for causing generation of a plasma while introducing the one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitors. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plasma generator, wherein the controller further comprises machine-readable instructions for causing generation of a plasma while introducing the one or more second reactants. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one process chamber comprising a pedestal for holding a substrate; 
 at least one outlet for coupling to a vacuum; 
 one or more process gas inlets coupled to one or more silicon-containing precursor sources; 
 one or more process gas inlets coupled to one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitor sources; 
 one or more process gas inlets coupled to one or more second reactant sources; and 
 a controller for controlling operations in the apparatus, comprising machine-readable instructions for:
 causing introduction of an inhibitor to the at least one process chamber when flow of one or more silicon-containing precursors and one or more second reactants is stopped; 
 causing flow of the inhibitor to the at least one process chamber to stop; and 
 after causing the flow of the inhibitor to stop, causing one or more deposition cycles to deposit material such that the flow of the inhibitor to the process chamber is stopped during the one or more deposition cycles, wherein a deposition cycle of the one or more deposition cycles comprises causing flow of the one or more silicon-containing precursors and flow of the one or more second reactants in temporally separated pulses. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the controller further comprises machine-readable instructions for causing repeating of the introduction of the inhibitor and the one or more deposition cycles one or more times. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the controller further comprises machine-readable instructions for causing introduction of the inhibitor prior to performing the deposition cycles. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the controller further comprises machine-readable instructions for causing introduction of the inhibitor after a deposition cycle is performed. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the controller further comprises machine-readable instructions for causing exposure of the substrate to a reactant that reacts with the inhibitor. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a plasma generator, wherein the controller further comprises machine-readable instructions for causing generation of a plasma. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates, the apparatus comprising:
 at least one process chamber comprising a pedestal for holding a substrate; 
 at least one outlet for coupling to a vacuum; 
 one or more process gas inlets coupled to one or more silicon-containing precursor sources; 
 one or more process gas inlets coupled to one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitor sources; 
 one or more process gas inlets coupled to one or more second reactant sources; and 
 a controller for controlling operations in the apparatus, comprising machine-readable instructions for:
 performing a deposition cycle comprising:
 causing introduction of one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitors to form an inhibitor ambient; 
 causing flow of the one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitors to the process chamber to stop; 
 after causing the flow of the one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitors to stop, causing introduction of a first precursor to form a first precursor ambient; 
 causing introduction of one or more second reactants to form a second reactant ambient when flow of the one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitors and flow of the first precursor are stopped; and 
 causing repetitions of causing introduction of the first precursor and causing introduction of the one or more second reactants one or more times. 
 
 
 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller further comprises machine-readable instructions for causing removal of the inhibitor ambient after exposing the substrate to the one or more hydrogen-containing inhibitors. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller further comprises machine-readable instructions for causing removal of the first precursor ambient after exposing the substrate to the first precursor. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the controller further comprises machine-readable instructions for causing removal of the second reactant ambient after exposing the substrate to the one or more second reactants. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions for causing repetitions of the causing introduction of the first precursor and causing introduction of the one or more second reactants one or more times include instructions for causing repetitions without introduction of an inhibitor.